Stupid laziness?

[speedplay]

Yes, I'm lazy, even when I play TT ;)

The thing is, it's not on concious, cause I do try to move a lot, but I have found that sometimes, my feet simple don't move the way I want them to.

What I have discovered is this, my footwork is probably to blame for my style! Sounds strange, but I have always been a fh oriented player and I'm more then willing to walk that extra mile to get in position for my fh, but when it comes to my bh, my weaker wing, I'm not. Strange, cause I would need it more from the weaker wing. Now, by not moving into position, I have found that it is easier to defend then to attack, and this is probably why I've ended up playing a modern defensive style of game.

Or, perhaps it's not at all due to laziness? Cause, I've found out that when I play a defensive bh, I have roughly the same distance to the ball as I have with an offensive fh, perhaps this is the reason I play the style I do?

Anyway, I don't feel to comfortable moving in to the ball path to be in position to hit a good bh, not sure why, as I have noticed that my bh is a lot better when I do this.

So, any suggestions on how to make my feet as willing to move to be in position for a bh as they are to be in position for a fh? Cause it is probably more a mental barrier then anything else.

[Vinnie]

My footwork is too active, and I end up not being able to play heaps due to being run down.

[pingpongrob]

My footwork is too active, and I end up not being able to play heaps due to being run down.

so what your saying is that you are unfit.

[speedplay]

My footwork is too active, and I end up not being able to play heaps due to being run down.

I doubt that footwork can be to active, as stated by Rob, it is probably a matter of fitness rather then moving to much. But, there is also the wrong kind of footwork, were you might move a lot, but still move in the wrong way. I know I do this when I move from side to side. Watching the pro's and seeing how effortless they move make me realise that I move like a clumsy elephant, wasting to much energy on my movement.

[Der Echte]

Moving like an elephant is still better than being a monkey, n'est pas?

[JKC]

It wasn't until I started showing Fred the correct way to move that I realised how poor my movement wide to either wing was. I often find that my first movement to a wide ball is with the bat rather than with the feet and although I often reach the first or even the second ball, I am often reaching and hitting the ball off balance and needing to recover my balance before moving for the next ball.

It is so important to make that first movement with the feet a positive one. For a wide forehand, try to get your right (or left for LH) foot out somewhere under the flight of the ball and ensure you keep your feet wide apart to help you to move to the next ball. For a wide backhand, keep your feet well apart again, and ensure you move far enough accross to play the ball in a comfortable position in front of the chest rather than reaching to the side with the arm.

This is something I am working on myself at the moment and one day I will post a video and speedplay will commend me on my magnificent footwork.

If you are looking to improve in this area then Speedplay, you need to be finding a partner and working on some regular footwork exercises, slowly at first and then picking up the pace. Once you have your footwork right when you know where the ball is going, then you need to introduce a random element to the exercise where the feeder can choose to switch the ball across at a time of his choice.

[RebornTTEvnglist]

My footwork is too active, and I end up not being able to play heaps due to being run down.

so what your saying is that you are unfit.

I doubt Vincent is unfit at 14, playing other sports and not looking overweight.

My movement really depends on the opponent and where they hit the ball, and the style they play (and whether I am calling the shots more or they are). In a practice hit I will tend to move around more as I back off the table more than I do in a match generally. Had a good long practice tonight after matches and was FH to FH rallying with a young guy and we pushed each other wider and wider with fast loops and smashes. In those situations I move a lot more, but rarely does this sort of rallying occur in a match. Its heaps of fun though, so I love to do it in practice and it I think it builds skills for matchplay still because not only does it help refine strokes, but it also reminds me that I am often better off trying to back off the table just a step to hit my loops and smashes which usually results in a greater percentage landed.

[speedplay]

This is something I am working on myself at the moment and one day I will post a video and speedplay will commend me on my magnificent footwork.

If you are looking to improve in this area then Speedplay, you need to be finding a partner and working on some regular footwork exercises, slowly at first and then picking up the pace. Once you have your footwork right when you know where the ball is going, then you need to introduce a random element to the exercise where the feeder can choose to switch the ball across at a time of his choice.

I'm looking forward to watch the video ;)

I guess you are right about what methods to use to improve, now I have to find some one who is actually interested in practice to become better, not practice to show of the things they already master. To many players here spend to much time fh-fh drills to impress, rather then working on different drills that they might benefit something from.

[Vinnie]

Well, I'm probably not as fit as can be, but I'm sure above average I'd say.

Just that I'm jumping and moving around quite a bit makes a man tired. Luckily Ginger Beer gives me a bit of a boost.